Aftermath
by theorganasolo
Summary: Takes place during ROTJ. Following Han's rescue from Jabba's Palace, Han and Leia take care of each other in more ways than one.


"Chewie, 'm fine, you big furry oaf, stop smothering me!"

*Cub, you need rest.*

"'M not gonna get any rest if you keep-"

"Ahem," interrupted Leia as she stepped into Han's cabin, "Chewie, I've got it from here, go help Lando in the cockpit, and see if you can comm Luke to find out when he'll meet us at the rendezvous point."

Chewie growled an affirmative before leaving Han and Leia alone. Han was sitting, or attempting to sit, on the bed with his head in between his hands. Leia could tell his head was probably throbbing but Han, stubborn as a bantha, was still trying to appear tough. Another thing Leia had noticed during her brief exchange with Chewie was how she saw a brief flash of hurt cross Han's face when she mentioned Luke. She had expected that reaction with Lando, guessing he still hadn't quite forgiven his old friend for betraying them to the Empire. But Luke, that she hadn't expected.

"Hey there Hotshot, let's get you in the fresher yeah?"

Han merely grunted in response, ignoring her question he simply asked, "Where are we going?"

"Home One, that's where the rendezvous point is. It'll take us about a day to get there so let me start taking care of you."

That brought a grin to Han's face, "Sweetheart you always, take real good care of me."

Leia felt her cheeks warm at that statement, thinking of their ill-fated trip to Bespin that seemed so long ago instead of the actual six months that had passed.

"Come on Han," Leia drew him up, with him leaning on her for support excessively, not caring that he was giving up his strong appearance as the two made their way into the fresher. Leia made sure to have the lights dimmed low as she turned on the shower to a cool temperature. She helped Han undress completely before stepping out of the fresher to change into one of Han's old shirts that came down to her knees.

 _Perfect, he won't see anything_.

"Leia where are you?"

"I'm coming."

She padded her way back into the fresher, bringing a chair with her that Han could sit on as she could see that he was trembling when she left to go change.

"Why'd you put that on?" Han gestured to the shirt she was wearing, "It's not anything I haven't seen before ya know?" he quipped.

"Easy there flyboy, I don't need you getting all excited on me."

"You always get me excited sweetheart."

Leia felt her cheeks redden again and was internally cursing herself for letting him get to her in that way. She got into the shower with Han, shirt and all, adjusted the temperature, and stood behind him to begin washing his hair.

"Feels good Leia," Han commented as he tilted his head back.

Leia didn't respond as she was too worried that the shirt would be see-through once wet. Now that Han had his eyesight back, she didn't want him to see the marks on her body from the bikini. Her normally porcelain skin was chafed and raw from where the offending garment had rubbed up against her. Her breasts were sore as well and her hips and part of her extremities had a rash from the heat and metal of the bikini. She didn't want Han to see the marks though, knowing he would only blame himself for what had happened to her. So she continued to wash his hair, and after finishing with that, moved on to clean his body. Leia moved to Han's front and was leaning forward to get his chest when she felt his hands slide up her back over her shirt, ever the gentleman even when so sick, and begin to rub. Unfortunately she couldn't hold back the hiss that escaped her mouth, or the gritting of her teeth as Han's rough calloused hands brushed against her raw and red skin. Han froze. He was finally getting a good clear look at Leia, the shower was helping his headache that had made opening his eyes painful, so he was more able to think clearly. He moved his hands to the bottom of her shirt grasping the hem and looked back up, his eyes asking her permission to remove it. Leia gave a barely noticeable nod. Han gently lifted up the fabric and pulled it over her head before tossing it out of the shower. And that's when he finally saw what Leia had endured at Jabba's Palace while she was rescuing him.

Angry red welts were under her breasts and her back. Her skin was raw and blistering around her bikini line and he could tell that she was sore by the way she was walking. Han felt anger swell in his chest at the realization of what Leia had experienced because of him. He had dealt with the Hutt enough times to know about his dance girls. The thought of Leia, the love of his life, being chained up to Jabba's throne in that bikini made him sick. Leia could see the disgust on Han's face, and she knew it wasn't that he was disgusted with the marks that marred her body but he was upset over how she got them.

"Han-"

"Kriff, Leia...kriff."

"Han, it's really not as bad as it looks.

Han ignored her, "Just...just tell me one thing, he didn't- I mean you weren't?"

"No!" Leia practically shouted it out at him before quieting down, "No, nothing like that, he didn't touch me in that way."

Han sighed in relief.

"And like I said, it's not that bad."

Han was incredulous, "Not that bad? Leia why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't want to worry you, you were completely out of it, Luke and I wanted to get you to the Falcon as quick as possible."

And there it was again, that flash of animosity when Leia mentioned Luke.

"Not worry me? This was my fucking fault."

Leia was taken aback by the harsh tone Han had taken on.

Han continued on while grasping her hands, "Sweetheart, gods, I'm so so sorry that this happened to you."

Leia knelt down before him, "Han there is nothing to be sorry for, Lando warned me that this would be a possibility when we were planning to rescue you. I knew what I was getting into. And you know what? I would do it all again for you. I'll take the bruises, the welts, and the rashes all over again if it meant I'd have you with me."

And instead of the objection that she was expecting, Han cupped Leia's face in his hands and drew her in for a hot- searing kiss. It had been far too long since the last time she had felt his warms lips on hers. Leia drew her arms around Han and pulled him closer and he let out a little moan. At that Leia pulled back and gave Han a peck on the lips before standing up and turning off the water in the fresher.

"Sorry flyboy, I don't think you're cleared for that kind of activity yet."

"I was hoping that maybe I'd get lucky."

"Some other time, I promise. Now come on, back in bed for you."

"No, not yet. Come'ere."

Han stood up and put Leia where he was sitting before turning the water back on to a nice warm temperature.

"Han no - I, you need to rest."

"Leia, you took care of me, let me take care of you."

Leia looked into Han's eyes and felt the soreness of her body while thinking of how nice it would feel to just let go and let Han be in control for once.

"Okay hotshot, you're in charge."

"That's something I won't get used to hearing."

Leia chuckled, "And don't count on getting used to it!"

"Wouldn't dream of it sweetheart."

Han started by washing Leia's long brown locks and then gently massaged her aching shoulders. He looked around the shower before spotting the small green bottle containing a salve for burns. He poured some of the liquid on his hand before applying it tenderly to Leia's body. Leia immediately felt the sting begin to go away as Han gently applied the salve. He especially made sure to spend a generous amount of time on her breasts.

"Han!"

"Hey I need to make sure these were taken care of."

Leia rolled her eyes but Han could see the smile creeping on her face.

Finally rinsing off, the pair dried themselves before exiting the fresher. Leia put on another one of Han's shirts and her underwear before helping Han into a pair of boxers. Fianly dressed, Han crawled into the bed while Leia dimmed the lights and then joined him. Once in bed, Han drew Leia close to him while wrapping his arm around her, her head on his chest. The pair were silent before Leia broke the quietness of the cabin.

"I'm so happy that we have you back. You have no idea how worried we all were: Chewie, Lando, Luke, and me."

And once again, a pained expression came over Han when Luke was brought up. But this time, Leia didn't let it go. She sat up in bed and looked down at Han.

"What's the problem?"

"Don't have one." Han replied, his eyes closed.

"Oh really? I find that hard to believe, because you get this funny look on your face whenever I bring up Luke."

"I don't want to talk about the kid right now."

"I don't care."

With that, Han sat up and stared at Leia in the darkness.

"If you want to talk about Luke so bad why don't you go comm him instead, huh?"

"Why are you getting so sensitive about Luke?"

"'M not sensitive!"

Leia gave him a long hard look.

"You know what, I don't want to deal with this right now, why don't you just go and talk to him because that's all you seem to care about."

A flash of hurt crossed Leia's face before realization settled in.

"Han, are you - are you jealous?"

"All I know is that you and the kid seem quite chummy lately."

Leia was about to make a sarcastic remark before she looked at Han's face. It wasn't just jealousy that was there, hurt was present too in those hazel eyes of his, eyes that Leia could stare into forever.

"Han, look at me. I promise nothing is going on between me and Luke okay? Yes, we've gotten closer during the last six months but you weren't there! I missed you so much and Luke helped to keep my spirits up. I do not have any feelings for him beyond friendship. In fact, he's like a brother to me."

Han still looked a little doubtful so Leia pressed forward.

"Was it Luke that I just kissed in the shower?"

Han sighed, "No."

"Was it Luke who I let see me naked?"

"No."

"And did I make love to Luke?"

"Okay Leia I think I get the pic-"  
"Is it Luke who I love more than anything in this galaxy? No, it's you."

Han's mouth dropped, "You, you still love me?"

"Of course Han, I meant it when I said it on the trip to Bespin, before you were frozen in carbonite, and when we rescued you!"

And this time, Han finally believed what his beloved was saying to him.

"I love you too sweetheart," Han replied, a small smile on his face.

"I know."

The pair settled back into bed, and it wasn't long before they drifted off into a deep sleep.


End file.
